1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to restraining garments and specifically to restraining garments for the elderly, invalid or sick.
2. Prior Art
Confining or restraining devices and garments are well known in the art. Such devices are generally employed by medical personel where it is necessary to restrain or confine a persons movements on a specified supporting structure, in hospitals santariums, convalescent houses and the like. They are generally used on the elderly, invalid or sick for protective purposes. Many of these devices are unsatisfactory because or their expense, appearance, inconvience, comfort, acceptance by a patient and/or ineffectiveness. The most pertinent of the prior art devices and their defficiencies are discussed hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,230, issued to James T. Ladd, discloses a vest type garment with a chest and waist restraining member. The device is said to be constructed so that the patient can not remove it without help, excepy in emergency. Prevention of removability of the vest is accomplished by means of a crotch strap which is either buttoned or snapped into place, extending from the back to the front of the vest through the crotch. In use, this small strap is not effective in resisting removal of the garment. Additionally the vest configuration of the garment is such as to permit patients to slip their arms through the large armholes while undoing the crotch strap to remove the garment over the head. The small crotch strap also has problems associated with its thinness for irritating, and chaffing the patient when worn. The crotch strap also prevents a patient from using self help to eliminate waste products from the body.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,170,991 issued to Henry Y. Kella, is a bib type apparatus which is capable of holding a patient in a wheel chair. The device has straps which on one end secure the patients chest to the chair, while a pair of additional straps secure the buttocks to the lower portion of the chair. This device presents several problems not associated with the present invention. It is a separate item which must be maintained in stock and carried around or stored between uses. It is not part of the wearing apparel of the patient and must be held ready for use. The device is not capable of securing a person to a bed but is only used for securing a sitting person to a chair. The device causes problems in breathing, and prevents mobility. The chest strap should not be used on patients who have any type of breathing problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,282, issued to Lois Thomas, is a dressing gown which has two belts, one disposed on each side of the gown near the waist area. The straps are disposed so that they can cross one another and be seecured to a bed or other supporting structure. The problem with this gown is that the straps are sewn securely to the body, and to securely fasten a person to a supporting structure the body must itself be securely fastened. A patient confined to bed for long durations must have loosely fitting clothes or bed sores will easily develop. Tight garments create bed sores much faster than loose garments. This snuggly fitting type restraint also prevents patient examination while being worn. Additionally it must be noted that neither patients nor visitors nor family desire to see their relatives "strapped, like a prisoner", into a bed. This device usually appears as such a garment and is disliked by all. In order to perform properly the belts must be securely fastened to the bed such that the patient is restrained from moving to the point that any mobility at all is severly restricted. It becomes difficult for a patient to change positions and impossible for the patient to move from a prone to a sitting position. All patients require mobility on the supporting structure but need restraint to prevent a fall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,170, issued to Donald C. Spann, is a support strap for restraining a patient either in a chair or in a bed. The device is simple in that it is simply a strap which goes around the chest of the user and around the chair or other supporting structure. As previously noted these type of device impairs and makes breathing difficult. It is an additional item which must be stocked or stored separate from gowns by the medical care unit for use when necessary. Many elderly patients have difficulty breathing. Any impairment across the chest which limits the breathing ability is detrimental to the patient. This and other devices having chest straps are particularly not useful for elderly people.
None of the above prior art provide a gown or garment which can be worn by any hospital patient which has the capabilities of securely fastening a patient to a bed, chair, or other supporting surface while permitting the patient to have mobility to move, roll, sit, or lie. Additionally, no other prior art device has a garment which has the capability of being loosened independently of the restraining straps yet prevents independent patient removal. No other prior art device has a diaper type strap which is designed to prevent sores while permitting a patient to eliminate waste from his body, without help.
The present invention provides a garment which overcomes all the problems of the prior art and provides a garment which is comfortable to wear, which restrains a person while resting on a structure, permitting mobility, yet preventing fall or escape. The garment can be used as a restraining device either on a bed, chair, wheelchair, or other supporting structures without modification, or without additional attachments.